June 23rd 2022

Chapter 174
Our Time to Gather

Dear Mrs. Friar,

So much has changed since last Christmas, for all of us. For me, so much is new, but that only makes me want to hold on to what was there before whenever I can. Does that make sense? All through training, I wrote to Phoebe and Desi, every day if I could, extra long if I missed a day. I wrote about how my days went, sure, but mostly I wrote about home, about things I remembered, days… I didn't write to my grandparents as much, not because I didn't want to talk to them, but truth is that it's been rough on them to accept my decision. I get it. After what happened to Mom, they're afraid I might not come home. Dad's been like that a bit, too, but mostly he's still proud, I think. We've been writing, too, talked more in the last few months than we have in the last few years, which has been nice.

Anyway, with all this letter writing, I thought about you, and I really wanted to write to you, too. Part of it is how I know you get those a lot from your old students, but also just because – Well, I guess, because you're one of those things that was there before that I need to hold on to. I know from Phoebe and Desi's letters how much you've been there for them while I've been gone, and I wanted you to know how thankful I am to know that you've got them. They're the two most important people to me and being away from them is not something I ever wanted to do, but then here we are. I didn't make my choice lightly, I don't think any of us ever would, but it doesn't make it any easier, does it? I keep reminding myself that of the many reasons I had to follow in my parents' footsteps, they were a part of it, them, and our future together as a family. Every day away from home, whatever else I had to be, at heart I was and am a son, a grandson, a brother, and a husband.

Lately, Phoebe and I have been talking about kids. Not necessarily about us having them very soon, but also maybe that, too. My decision definitely made things happen faster than expected for us, but never in any way as though we wouldn't have gotten there sooner or later. That's kind of how we feel about starting our family, too. We've always known that this was something we both wanted, and we don't know what the future is going to look like, so that makes it hard to look at anything like it needs to be so far away. At the same time, I hate to think about what it's going to be like, for Phoebe and for any child we might have. I remember so much from when I was little, me and Desi, too, with our parents, and I remember stories from my grandparents, of when I was just a baby… It's all so much to balance, but all of it is so important, so there's no other way but keep going, isn't there? I just need to remember that, whatever happens, they're not alone back there. They've got each other, and they've got people like you.

Thank you for everything, always,

Khalil Russell

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Dear Khalil,

You are never far away from our minds I can promise you that. I can only imagine what it's been like for you over the past few months and I'm so glad to hear from you. Even before this, I have lost count of how many times my conversations with Phoebe and Desi have started with them telling me about one of your letters. They are so proud of you, both of them, and even though it's still clear how much they worry on the inside, they are adjusting, as one does. Seeing them together, seeing them rely on one another, has really been wonderful. I think they keep each other in balance, even as they raise each other up. This isn't to say there haven't been days where they've faltered a bit, but I know you know that. That's when I would step in, or Stella, or your grandparents, or my sisters… That's not going to go away, no matter what the future brings.

As family goes, with children, well… All I can say is that it will never get any easier, and there will never be a perfect time. Sometimes they happen completely by surprise. If the two of you want them, and I for one believe the two of you would make great parents, then it's all up to you when you decide to have them. It won't be perfect, because it never is, but whatever there is, so long as your heart is in it, then you can work through the rest.

I look forward to hearing from you again, always,

Mrs. Maya Friar

X

"Well, if it isn't my girl, Fleetwood, hey there," Shawn Hunter grinned as he got hold of his youngest granddaughter and brought her up close into his arms. He carefully kissed her cheek, so not to scratch her with his beard, as always.

The nickname made Marianne giggle now, as she and her little sisters stood crowded around their grandfather and the baby. She'd found out what it referred to by now as, just like Kacey, Remy, and Lucy, she had been introduced to music that was brand new but also instantly beloved to them. Now they would hear both the nickname and the songs, and they would be happy.

"Grappa, me," Lucy held up her arms to him.

"You want me to hold you now?" Shawn asked, and the little blonde nodded. No sooner did she do this though that both Kacey and Remy seemed to think that, hey, getting held by Grandpa Shawn sounded pretty good, and they wanted that, too. Suddenly, they were like baby birds, all sitting there waiting to be fed at the same time.

Shawn looked like he was debating whether a trio of twenty-two-month-old girls would take numbers and wait. Luckily, he wasn't the only grandparent at hand, and the rest of his 'squad' had his back. Soon, Katy, Melinda, and Thomas swept in, collecting Lucy, Kacey, and Remy respectively. The moment they were taken hold of by their grandmothers and other grandfather, the triplets forgot anything and anyone beyond the one that had them.

It was only the four of them coming over for dinner that night. The Clutterbuckets were back in Arkansas, visiting Charlie, Nellie and Gracie were sleeping over at Desi's, MJ at the Matthews', and Haley at best friend Madelyn's. It wasn't that they'd all decided to opt out of the family dinner, really it was the other way around. The twins had been the first to ask for a sleepover with their friend, and after this had been set up, both MJ and Haley had wanted the same, so they had gotten it, which left their parents with little to do, so they'd called Maya, and then there they were, a dinner planned.

"You could have just had date night," Maya had teased her mother when she'd called.

"Who's to say we won't have one after?" Katy had volleyed back, and Maya had honorably left the thought alone after that.

Whatever Katy and Shawn had planned for the end of their evening, for now they were with their daughter, most of their granddaughters, and that was something special, too, always. It would have been even better if Ella and Tori had been there as well, but they couldn't make the drive that day. Now that Ella's semester was over, the two of them would be able to come over more often, including a couple of weeks where she wouldn't be working and would be staying in Austin, but those wouldn't be until August, right in time for the triplets' second birthday. Even if they couldn't make it today though, they still took the time to call the house and talk to everyone in turn since they knew they were there.

Over dinner, the conversation turned to anything from summer plans to projects already in works. Maya had just recently been contracted for a couple of different projects, so she would get to spend some time in the Hex, which was exciting as ever. Marianne was very excited about getting to go to summer camp this year along with her friends. She wanted to show her grandparents the shirt that they'd picked up, with the camp's logo on it, so she went to get it. The biggest thing for them all over the coming summer was happening at the ranch.

There was already a lot happening these days of course. For one, their exchange campers, Johnny and Carina, were days away from heading home. It was hard to believe that they'd been here for the entire year, that it was coming to an end, but here they were. They'd both had a wonderful time in Austin, at the school, at the ranch… Johnny had come into this for the experience, and it had been very satisfying. He had bonded deeply with his host family, and the feeling was mutual for the Days. He was welcome among them anytime, and Lucas suspected he might be back visiting around Christmas.

Carina had come and… well, she'd had her issues. These were all her own, and they would always be, so it wasn't up to anyone to tell her what she should or shouldn't do and when. She had not gotten back on a horse, no, but she had become very close to Turtle, and if that wasn't seen as progress, then they weren't paying enough attention. She asked the Sandersons if they would keep her updated on how Turtle was doing, and they'd promised to send her pictures, videos, anything she wanted. She'd also discovered a great friend among humans, namely Jenny Marshall, and that feeling went both ways. The XC had meant so much to Jenny in the past year, and they were as good as sisters now as far as they were concerned.

While the XCs would be gone though, the summer campers would be coming along in just a couple of weeks, and by the time they arrived, they would find something else happening at Sullivan Stables. There would be construction happening, off where there had previously been nothing but a fence surrounding empty land. The as yet unnamed future home of Lucas and Ella's dog retreat would be raised over the summer, with hopes of opening its doors by the fall.

They had been working toward that ground-breaking since late April. In later years, Lucas imagined telling Mackenzie how he had done research, taken notes, even tried his hand at sketching plans, all while holding her and trying to get her back to sleep when she was still a newborn. Maya had pitched in a lot, too, especially on some of those nights where they were both awake, but Ella had easily done more alongside her father. This was their project after all, and she took it very seriously.

"Who's going to be looking after the dogs?" Melinda asked as they discussed the retreat at dinner. "Ella will still be in school for some time, and you can't be everywhere at once," she pointed out to her son with a lighthearted chuckle.

"No, of course not," Lucas agreed with a knowing smile. "I do have someone in mind, but that's still being worked out, so until then I can't say," he explained, turning a look to Maya as discreetly as he could. She knew, only because she'd overheard him talking on the phone. He had nothing to worry about for secrecy there. No one would know, not until it was all official.

TO BE CONTINUED


See you tomorrow! - mooners